I am doing a deep dive inside my 1986 Toro 1132 Powershift snowblower — affectionately known as the “Torosizer.” It came apart just as easy as you might imagine a rusty, gravel driveway beaten, 35-year old snowblower might come apart. With a few choice words, liquid wrench, and sheer will, it is now laying in pieces across my garage floor. By the looks of it, I think I am now committed to this project.

With luck, after I get some new parts, these snowblower pieces will fit back together (with no extra parts left on the floor). The dream is to once again have a snowblower that will throw snow further than 3 feet and will start without being preheated with a hair drier.

A guy can dream can’t he?

Haakon and Kari asked for a more dramatic bookcover backdrop (yes, I hear voices), so I switched to my painting of Grinnell Lake to represent the story’s Sky Pond.

The first printed manuscript has arrived. Far is getting closer.